Blockchain4Good

Alvaro Cosi is the Head of Innovation at Switzerland for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency’s national partner for Switzerland. He started his career working for advertising agencies across the world, as a creative and strategic planner, before focusing on venture building and innovation. He is now in charge of incentivizing innovation and creating an enabling environment for experimentation to take place across the organization.

Nigel leads humanitarian strategy and partnerships at the Algorand Foundation and at HesabPay, Afghanistan's only fully interoperable digital payments solution. HesabPay is built on Algorand. Nigel focuses on digitizing humanitarian cash payments by bringing them on-chain in jurisdictions where domestic payments infrastructure and international bank transfers dont work. Previously Nigel spent more than 20 years at Mercy Corps, pioneering the organization's original cash programming and leading humanitarian operations in places such as Afghanistan, Indonesia and the MENA region. He has a Masters in Coaching and Consulting for Change from Oxford University.

With over 15 years' experience as a humanitarian responder, Sandra works with startups, international NGOs and UN agencies to build bridges between the humanitarian and Web3 community, conceptualizing, designing and managing community-inclusive Web3 and digital payment solutions for humanitarian crises across the globe. Her current work is focused on Syria, Afghanistan, Haiti and Sudan.

Anna Whitson-Diaz leads Stellar Development Foundation’s aid and humanitarian portfolio. In this role, she spearheads SDF’s work to enable international organizations and NGOs to deliver faster and more efficient cash-based interventions using the Stellar blockchain. With over 12 years of previous experience in the UN system, Anna’s career has focused on creating equitable financial access and advancing effective development cooperation worldwide.

I am a cofounder of UNDP Alternative Finance Lab (www.AltFinLab.org ) and Crowdfunding Academy; with experience of supporting innovation in alternative finance mechanisms and in low carbon development in over 40 countries globally. Through coordinating the www.Tadamon.community project, I am committed to empowering civil society organizations in over 57 countries. I am an evaluator of blockchain projects funded by European Commission, and have co-founded a number of start-ups as social enterprises. I have defended my PhD dissertation in 2014 at University of Zagreb within PhD programme on Energy and Environment led by Norwegian Technical University in the Western Balkans.

Eduard is the MD of the Blockchain for Impact Foundation and Founder of Impact Plus. He is also the founder of the GeoAnalytics Center, a tech for good organization based in the Sahel. He has worked in Africa for 10+ years with USAID and USIP.

A seasoned investor with global expertise across the US, GCC, Africa, Europe and MENA regions. Having managed over USD 200 million in capital, Ahmed also strategically advises family offices, financial institutions, governments and DFIs, and Fortune 500s including the IFC, JP Morgan Chase, UNICEF, Saudi's SAMA and Morocco's Ministère de l'Industrie. Since 2015, Ahmed has been involved in frontier tech investing including blockchain, leading SaaS and BaaS implementations in trade, payments, mobility and fintech. Currently, Ahmed heads EMURGO Africa's USD 100M fund-of-funds, focusing on creating real world use cases for blockchain adoption in web2 and scaling web3 investments cross-borders.

Two decades of social entrepreneurial, management & business development experience, working with multinational teams. Focus on strategy, partnerships and multi stakeholder collaboration.

You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete. Buckminster Fuller 1895-1983 A serial impact entrepreneur, involved in the creation, development and exit of several successful impact businesses in Africa, Glen Jordan believes new technologies can, and should, improve life for the marginalised. Housing, a key pillar in the quality of life and the creation of wealth, is not accessible to millions in the developing world, not because of poverty, but because the existing financial systems are not fit for purpose. As the co-founder of Empowa, Glen is working on transforming the African climate-smart affordable housing market through financial innovation. https://empowa.io.

Mr. Shantnoo is the founder of Encryptus, a regulated and licensed cryptocurrency to fiat payment provider with licenses in the United Arab Emirates, Europe, and Asia Pacific. He is also the CEO of Anzens, an Emurgo-supported stablecoin. Mr. Shantnoo has extensive experience in the payments industry, spanning over a decade. He has been actively involved in the cryptocurrency space for the past eight years. In 2016, he joined BitPesa to develop a model that bridged Bitcoin and money transfers. Subsequently, he assumed a leadership role at Huobi, where he served as the Senior Executive Officer for the Middle East and Africa region.

Juana Attieh is the Chief Strategy Officer (CSO) at AMLOK.tech and Product Lead at Photrek. She actively contributes to decentralized governance, serving on the Membership and Community Committee, and as an advisory board member and board observer for Intersect. Juana is passionate about advancing decentralized decision-making and fostering community-led infrastructures. Her work is centered on developing governance models that promote sustainable, decentralized societies, reflecting her deep commitment to creating inclusive and innovative systems for the future.

Aiaze has led Fintech projects in 40+ countries and advised international organizations such as the UN, World Bank and IFC. He is the UNDP Global Lead on Digital Finance and the SDGs and has worked on innovative financial instruments using blockchain technologies, focusing on green bonds and nature finance. Prior to that, Aiaze was Chief Officer at Tiaxa, a digital lending Fintech. He also directed the roll-out of Digital Payment systems across many countries. Aiaze sits on the Board of several Fintech startups. He holds a MSc. from University of Quebec and is a graduate of Telecom Paris

Experienced R&D projects, experimental physics & engineering management​ MS in International Business Management, KU Leuven University, Belgium BA in Physics & Mathematics, Clark University, USA

Maximilian Rösgen is the Head of Communications at the Environmental Carbon Offset Alliance (ECOTA) and passionate for all solutions at the intersection of technology and sustainability. With his background in journalism and consulting, Maximilian works at the core of ECOTA’s mission since its foundation: Achieving a better tomorrow. He moderates panels and webinars and is ECOTA’s lead speaker at conferences and fairs.

I’m fascinated by the confluence of local and global challenges related to digital technology and sustainable development. As the Sustainability Lead at the Cardano Foundation, I split my time between two portfolios: 1. Blockchain for sustainability (Blockchain 4 Good): developing partnerships that apply Cardano's blockchain technology to use cases that align with sustainability frameworks such as the UN SDGs. 2. Sustainability of blockchain: shaping initiatives related to Cardano's governance and environmental impact, including Cardano's decentralized innovation fund - Project Catalyst I serve as a Board Member for the International Association for Trusted Blockchain Applications (INABTA) and as a WEF Global Shaper in the Geneva Hub. I have a background in education, research and innovation cooperation, and experience with various local and international NGOs. I hold a masters in International Affairs specialising in Trade and International Finance from the Geneva Graduate Institute, as well as a Bachelor in Economics and Finance, and Social Development from the University of Cape Town.

Lucas Zaehringer founded PositiveBlockchain in 2017, a non-profit exploring applications of blockchain for sustainability. In 2021, he joined the Frankfurt-based company Blocksize to work on tokenization of environmental assets. He co-lead a joint-Venture applying the technology in bio-based value chains such as biofuels. This lead him to take Expert member role at ECOTA, and Advisory Board member at the ICRO-accredited carbon standard and registry BioCarbon. He is now co-founder & CEO of Planet2050, a company aiming a to scale climate action in carbon markets and sustainable value chains.

Allen Shao leads the Solution Architecture team within ADB's enterprise architecture group. He has driven the modernization of legacy mainframe and ERP systems to enhance the bank's digital transformation efforts. Focused on technology and innovation, including blockchain and AI, Allen champions the application and industrialization of innovative research findings.

Serial impact entrepreneur and social business architect with 20+ years of experience in capacity building and mentoring social economy and impact organizations, developing social entrepreneurship in CEE, and managing UNDP strategic partnerships globally for UNDP IRH Innovation Team. Spearheads blockchain projects for UNDP, focusing on education and adoption, addressing challenges like digital identity and cross-border payments. Leads UNDP Acceleration programs, advancing social impact innovation and the 2030 Agenda. Extensive experience in social business modeling, policy frameworks, and transitioning economies with global experience across Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Industrial designer, artist and writer. She was head of department at Mexican Secretary of Economic Development and organic coffee producer. She and her team are pioneers in Regenerative Finance: since 2018 they enable financial and market access to unbanked micro farmers. Frequent speaker and panelist in tech and impact forums (ETH Denver, FLII, DevCon Bogotá, El Confidencial, ReFi Gathering, ETH Barcelona, ETH CC, SOCAP, COP28, Merge Madrid).

Erik VanIngen is an innovations specialist in digital agriculture at FAO, focusing on AI, blockchain, IoT, and data analytics. He leads AI and blockchain communities of practice and is passionate about digital sustainability in the agrifood sector, addressing issues like climate and child labor. Before FAO, Erik spent 10 years as a software architect and project leader in the private sector in the Netherlands and Sweden. He holds a bachelor’s in Telematics and a master’s in Business Process Management and IT from the Open University of the Netherlands

Sam Lambert is the Co-Founder of zenGate Global, a technology company which seeks to provide equal access and opportunities for innovation in agriculture. Using blockchain technology, zenGate’s flagship product Palmyra provides a market access solution for commodity producers and buyers, with scalable modules such as traceability, payments, and compliance. Prior to zenGate Global, he helped set up the Global Digital Assets Practice for leading consulting firm, Oliver Wyman.

With over a decade of experience in international development, driving economic empowerment initiatives for women and youth across Africa, the MENA region, and Europe, Milica works with UN agencies, NGOs, social enterprises and impact startups, focusing on entrepreneurship support, skills development, business incubation, acceleration, access to finance, and digital transformation for SDGs. Her current work is cantered on supporting impact innovators developing emerging tech solutions to address social challenges. She leads several impact initiatives at PositiveBlockhain, serves as a partner at the Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA) and digital innovation consultant.

Mariana de la Roche is an international expert working at the intersection of law, human rights, and new technologies, with over a decade of experience as a legal and regulatory advisor. She specializes in guiding organizations and governments in adopting responsible and ethical innovations in emerging technologies. Mariana is the founder of de la Roche W. Consulting and a board member at INATBA, where she leads the AI and Blockchain Convergence Task Force and the Social Impact and Sustainability working group. Additionally, she is a member of the Dynamic Coalition of the Internet Governance Forum of the United Nations, board member at thinkBLOCKtank, and an expert member at the European Blockchain Association and the EUBOF.

Katia works on financing and governance for social impact. As the founder of Decoland, she leverages digital innovation to reshape the funding landscape, empower local communities, and build more inclusive and equitable systems. Her work builds on two decades of experience in private philanthropy, multilateral institutions, and civil society, developing and financing programs that advance human rights, social inclusion, and justice. At Decoland, Katia applies this expertise to support partners across sectors in exploring and adapting emerging technologies for social impact, as well as ensuring that technology innovations are inclusive, responsible, and ethical.

Dr. Shaun Conway is an accomplished technologist, physician, and global health expert who invented the IXO Protocol. He has led innovations in systems-thinking and data-driven technologies to solve complex social challenges. Shaun was instrumental in the global response to HIV/AIDS and led the IHP+Results initiative for health MDGs. He has founded several successful startups and advised major global institutions, including WHO and UNICEF. In 2008, he proposed a decentralised system for optimizing capital allocation for sustainable development, which became the foundation of the IXO Protocol, now enabling a global "Internet of Impacts" for social and environmental well-being.

Bay Backner is Head Producer for Decentraland, the virtual social world. She is Assistant Professor of Emerging Technologies at Berklee Valencia, and Founder of MESHfair, the art fair for 3D, metaverse and VR creators. Bay’s work explores how shared virtual experience will shape society and identity. Her immersive installations have been seen in WIRED, Dazed, Vogue, and Vanity Fair. She holds a degree in Physics from Oxford University.

Adri Wischmann has been involved in the blockchain-space for more than 8 years now. As founder of PBTokn.com, Chairman of the board at BlockchainLab Drenthe and as blockchain-lecturer at the University of Applied Sciences NHLStenden. He is the architect of the largest public service blockchain project in The Netherlands and his MultiKnip was nominated by INATBA as “the most exciting public servic blockchain project 2024”. Currently his programmable money project MultiKnip is handpicked by the European Blockchain Regulatory Sandbox where he is discussing this subject with a long list of very interested European National Banks.

Glenn is a Partner at the Blockchain for Good Alliance (BGA) and is in charge of the Alliance's hackathons. Having been involved in web3 from 2017, he is also the co-founder of Huros.io, an RWA tokenization startup promoting alternative assets and financial diversity. Glenn brings a strategic approach to blockchain innovations and sustainable financial solutions. His work blends technology and finance to foster greater accessibility, transparency, and impact within the blockchain space, helping to bridge traditional assets with modern digital ecosystems. He graduated with a Masters in Project Management from the National University of Singapore (NUS).

Sandeep is an ecosystem builder and community strategist with over six years of experience in the Web3 space. As a founding member of PositiveBlockchain.io and BerChain e.V., he is passionate about leveraging blockchain technology for social and environmental impact. He has organized numerous events, fostered partnerships, and advised startups on decentralized technologies for sustainability. As the moderator for the Web3 Impact Innovators Roundtable at the Blockchain for Good Virtual Summit, Sandeep brings valuable insights and experience to the discussion on how Web3 can drive positive change.

Since the global financial crisis of 2007/8, Razali has been working within vulnerable and marginalised communities, to combat rising levels of child poverty by leveraging technology for good. With 18+ years of experience as an educator and changemaker, Razali has been dedicated to enabling a quality education for all, and advancing blockchain solutions for sustainability and social impact. Founder of Impact Web3 and Sustainable ADA. Co-author of Recalibrating Value, Identity and Impact Through The Blockchain - Cardano Impact Report 2023, he brings a nuanced perspective to the blockchain space, grounded in real world issues.

Dhani Spiller is the Head of the Digital Capacity Lab at the UNDP Chief Digital Office, where he leads global efforts in digital capacity building and transformation. With a focus on blockchain for development, AI integration, and digital product management, Dhani has extensive experience working with governments and UN agencies. He previously worked at the WFP Innovation Accelerator and has led innovation initiatives in the private sector across industries such as automotive and FMCG. Passionate about using technology for social impact, Dhani specializes in designing and managing digital learning programs that drive sustainable development.

With a decade of teaching Mathematics, Science, Health, and Phys Ed in Australia, Nathan has a profound commitment to education. His transition into the tech world led him to create over 100 lessons on Cryptocurrency, Finance, and broader web3 topics, specifically designed to engage the next generation of Cardano and blockchain enthusiasts. Nathan's unique blend of educational expertise and tech innovation positions him as a pivotal force in nurturing informed digital citizens.

Arun is the Blockchain Lead at the Ventures Team @ UNICEF Office of Innovation. He was instantly drawn to blockchains as they promised to fulfil an unmet latent need of people - fairness. He works with the UN and Web3 ecosystems to enable pilots/PoCs/projects for positive outcomes in social, humanitarian, financial and economic spheres. He has special interests in new mechanisms for financial inclusion, transparent governance and where the real world meets Web3.

Mercy is the co-founder and Partnerships Lead at Wada Global, an organization focused on growing the Cardano community in Africa. With over 25 years of experience in project management, community engagement, and healthcare across West Africa, the UK, and Canada, she has been part of the Cardano ecosystem since 2017 and is active in Cardano’s governance. Mercy has also contributed to decentralization by helping create a network of hubs in sub-Saharan Africa to support Web3 education and innovation, providing local communities with access to blockchain and AI technology as well as new opportunities for growth.

Ben has an MBA from the Wits Business School of the University of the Witswatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa and a Bachelor of Engineering in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri Nigeria. He has over 15 years of diverse experience in entrepreneurship, telecoms, tech startups, marketing, content and project management, software development, healthcare, international development, community building, networked organisations and most recently all things blockchain. Ben is a serial entrepreneur and Cofounder of the Africa Blockchain Alliance which is an organization focused on educating Africans on blockchain; facilitating partnerships to network blockchain actors within and outside the continent; blockchain policy advocacy and community building. He previously worked at ConsenSys as Community Lead for Africa where his responsibilities included building a Pan-African footprint for ConsenSys and Ethereum by developing and managing strong relationships in the public and private sectors as well as developer communities to bring stakeholders together and educate them on blockchain, specifically Ethereum. Ben was the Africa Advisor/Consultant to Paxful, a peer-to-peer bitcoin blockchain marketplace. He also planned and co-organized EthLagos Virtual Hackathon in collaboration with GIZ, Ethereum Foundation, IEEE and other local and global partners. He is an advisor to multiple Blockchain projects in Africa and globally. Ben is currently the Country Head for Algorand Foundation in Nigeria where he's working with his team in building out the Algorand ecosystem in Nigeria and Africa. Ben’s areas of interest are in innovation/emerging technology, youth leadership and entrepreneurship ecosystems development. Ben is further interested in how new and emerging technologies such as blockchain can create a more inclusive, diverse and fair society.